Do Your Spring Cleaning Now

Do Your Spring Cleaning Now

By Karen Cicero

Do your spring cleaning now! It’s a fact: Mess leads to stress. In one survey of 1,000 men and women, about 40 percent admitted that their clutter caused them considerable anxiety. And you don’t need any more of that — especially during the holidays.

“Set aside a couple of hours to organize your house now; it will pay off big-time during the onslaught of presents, cookies and guests,” says Lea Schneider, a professional organizer in Pensacola, Fla. Just follow our room-by-room guide to holiday harmony.

Kitchen

· Clear countertops. You’re going to need all the room you have for cookie sheets, dishes and other holiday goods. First, make a sweep of everything in your kitchen that doesn’t involve cooking, like bills, catalogs or your kid’s school folders. “Place it all in a laundry bin, and cart it off to where it belongs,” suggests Schneider. Then evaluate your small appliances: If you don’t use a gadget at least once a week, find room in a cabinet for it — or even stash it on a shelf in the garage.